It can't be helped
by Izzu
Summary: Things never turn out the way you want. Slight reference to ep 36.


A/N: I have NO idea what I'm writing...

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It can't be helped

By Izzu

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o

_Family..._

_To be honest, what does that actually mean?_

_Weren't they supposed to be the ones that understands you most? Weren't they they ones supposed to be the closest? Weren't they the ones supposed to protect?_

_Yet, family were the ones who hurt you most..._

It never turns out the way you wanted it be.

xxx

Takatora looked up towards their father, surprised. "Eh? A promotion? But... I just joined the company not very long."

Their father, Kureshima Masataka nodded his head. "I know. But right now the things I have to do have increased tremendously; and it'll mean I have to let go a few of the things I'm managing and assign others to take some of those responsibilities off me. That includes the Yggdrasill branch here in Zawame. But you have shown good performance since you came in and already making progress, so this promotion shouldn't be out of the ordinary. I'm sure you'll be able to manage the office here well. Other than that, the rest are moving to Tokyo. Some of the servants will stay if you want, but that's it."

Takatora bit his lips as he nodded slowly. "I... understand. If you say so... then I'll accept the new position."

"Wait! Does that mean... _nii-san_ is going to stay here alone by himself? No! I want to stay here with _nii-san!_"

Suddenly Mitsuzane sat up and clung onto Takatora's side. Takatora stared at his brother in alarm.

"Mitsu... this is not the proper time..."

"You're never at home anyways since you're always abroad for work stuff! I have nothing to do with that, so it shouldn't matter if I stayed here in Zawame! Besides, _nii-san_ was always the one taking care of me."

"Mitsu—!" Takatora hissed again as Mitsuzane kept on talking. He hastily got up to apologize to his father. "Father, please ignore what Mitsuzane said, he—"

"Very well... if that's what you want."

Both of them froze as Masataka continued to speak. "I'll arrange it later so that Takatora will be made your legal guardian. Anything else that happened to you after this will all be part of your older brother's responsibility. So keep out of trouble since I will not help to get you out of it and do not do anything that will interfere with your brother's work."

Takatora was still stunned when his father called his name. "Eh?" he asked dumbly as he stared straight at their father's face.

The older man repeated his words. "I said, if Mitsuzane should stay here in Zawame as well... I'll expect you to do it well alongside your responsibility to the corporation. I will not hear any excuse if you don't."

Takatora nodded stiffly. "Yes, sir,"

At that moment, no one have been most happy as Mitsuzane to be able to remain together with his beloved brother.

xxx

But the joy was shortlived as that night, Mitsuzane overheard a conversation from their father's room.

"Kureshima-san, are you sure about this? To think you're not only putting all these responsibility over Zawame on Takatora-kun, but you're also leaving him to care for Mitsuzane-kun alone by himself! Wasn't it a bit too much? Both of them are your sons! What if something goes wrong in the future?"

Mitsuzane stopped dead in his track as he recognised the voice. It was Kikuko-san, their father's secretary who his brother and him have referred to as 'mum'; due to her often taking that role in the family ever since their real mother's death. Kikuko-san had been present during their dinner earlier, but considering she's still haven't gone home... it's either she was working overtime or there was another reason.

But the things they were talking about...

"You're worrying too much, Kikuko." He could hear his father's booming voice. "Besides, this was a task more fitting for youths like him. The child had always cared for Mitsuzane all his life so it wouldn't make any difference. Also, Mitsuzane himself asked for it. I might as well let _both_ of them stay together while it's still possible."

"But Director..."

"Knowing that child, Takatora would give his all to the success of the _project_. He wouldn't allow anything to go wrong, even if it meant _sacrificing_ himself. If anything does go wrong... well, it just means that the child was not capable enough to take that kind of responsibility."

"Director... you mean, you're willing to abandon your sons?"

THUMP! Mitsuzane held his breath still as he accidentally bumped on a vase. Luckily it didn't break, but it still made a loud noise just the same.

"Who's there?" his father's voice commanded as Mitsuzane felt his knees grow weak. The door of the study slowly opened to his alarm, but it was only Kikuko-san peeking her head out from the study. She gestured for him to quickly leave as she turned around, supposedly towards his father.

"It's just the servants, Kureshima-san," she said, turning around to give him a last look to leave. The door closed again as Mitsuzane straightened the fallen vase back to position. For a moment, everything was quiet in the house as he slowly sneaked his way back towards his room. But just as he thought he was far enough from the study, Mitsuzane heard his father's voice again.

"...I suppose it can't be helped. "

xxx

_ "...it can't be helped." _

Their father had abandoned them. Abandoned them to whatever it was that lies ahead in Helheim. He never understood the weight of that old conversation he heard before but now... _everything made sense._

To think there was once a time long ago that he had vowed to himself that he would protect his Takatora-_nii-san_. Because there wasn't anyone else that would do it for them. Because they had no one else by their side; they needed to protect each other.

Yet what was he doing now? Shouldn't he jump over and save _nii-san_ ? He didn't have to do everything _exactly_ as Redyue wanted. He defeated _nii-san_ after all.

Why did _nii-san_ hesitate? If he didn't and the loser was him, maybe he'd reconsider his choices again. Since that would prove who's right or wrong in this matter. But it didn't turn out like that and he _won_. That thing that bound both of them together was now broken. He's his own person now.

_ He's free... _

Was this the right thing to do? Was it wrong? Should he go down and rescue _nii-san_? (Since he already won and _nii-san_ lost the right to prove him wrong. Yet, _nii-san_ could still live. If he spared _nii-san's_ life, _nii-san_ should be grateful. Perhaps then, _nii-san_ will stay away and not interfere any longer. He made his point clear already.)

He should be able to do that now, shouldn't he? Saving _nii-san_. There was no Sid, Ryoma or Yoko to stop him this time. No steep cliff. If he wanted to save his brother's life now... it shouldn't be something that's impossible to do. _Unlike before._

Yet, like _before_... his body won't move. Like before, he's going to let his brother fall to his probable death. Was it then... at this very moment; that he was no more different than their father? He's truly... giving up on _nii-san_.

_ There's no turning back... _

Things never did go the way he wanted after all. No matter how perfect he had planned it to be.

Well...

It can't be helped.

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Long note: Because I wanted to write something prior to the events of the series. Cos we're never going to get any back stories this far back, for sure.

End up killing off the mother and putting a subtitute figure. Cos the alternative would be making the mother be some irresponsible woman or emotionless woman who doesn't care about the fate of her children. Of which I don't like that. But since last time I did mentioned a mum...

Gave the father a name which is like a cross between a certain person's name (cos I can't just use Terumune www). And I just have to tie it with ep. 36 or else it's feel weird suddenly pulling this story out without. Ended up rewriting so many times anyway. Or actually I could... but part of me insist to have this duality in the fic.


End file.
